Ten New Year's Resolutions for Recent College Graduates

Congratulations to all the people that graduated from college this year! Being one of them I know what a great accomplishment it feels like to be done with all the homework, papers, and worst of all tests. Now its time to face the real test; what everyone likes to call, 'The Real World.' Although graduation season was back in May I know there are many of us out there still adjusting and trying to find our footing. Here are some resolutions to aim for during these uncertain times.

1) Find a job

How lucky for us to graduate into the worse economic times since the Great Depression. But we all have to keep our heads up and don't give up. Look for a job everyday. Don't let yourself get discouraged by the lack of call backs. Reach out to people that you think may be able to help you out. Networking is always a plus and never hurts to try. Take a part time job at a local store to pay off those killer student loans. Don't give up on the hunt!

2) Stay in contact with friends from school

Things may be really hectic now between job hunting, interviews, and part time jobs but don't forget to keep in contact with all those great friends you made at school. It's easy to lose contact and lose track of time when you don't see a person as often as you used to. Talking to friends can keep you from going insane from your daily frustrations. Don't hold back on spilling your troubles, it always helps to get stuff out and after all isn't that what friends are for? They might also be able to give you some solutions to your problems. Don't forget to set up dates to hang out. Great ways to set up events and keep up with people is through Facebook and Myspace.

3) Workout

Some of us gained the dreadful "Freshman Fifteen" and were never able to lose them during those four years of madness. Now is the time to lose them! Hop on that thread mill and sweat it all off. The easiest way to do this is to set up an exercise routine. Even if you didn't gain weight in college a good exercise routine is good for you. Once you get into the routine it will become automatic for your body. Which takes us to our next resolution...

4) Eat Healthy

You can't get back into shape or get into better shape if you don't cut back on your college eating habits. Cut back on soda and alcohol; instead grab a bottle of water. Don't eat as much junk food and eat more fruits. And don't forget to stick to your three meals a day!

5) Redecorate your room

If you're like me, your room probably looks like it did before you left for school. If you didn't go away for school it's still a good idea to change it up. Move furniture around, put up new pictures, and buy some new accessories. A spruced up new look is what you want for a new year. You want things to be better and different. Change is good; you don't want more of the same.

6) Watch more TV

I don't know if it's just me but when I was at school I hardly watched any tv even though I had one with cable in my room. And the things I did try to watch I could never keep up with. Although its been a couple of months since I moved back home I still haven't gotten back into the full swing of tv watching like I used to be before I went to school.

Sit down and find a bunch of shows you like and can get into. This will give you something to look forward to every week while you get used to the stress of work life or searching for work. This will help to eliminate some of that stress.

7) Read more books you like, not those boring text books

Since I was stuck always reading text books all the time I never had time to read any of the books I actually liked. Take time now to read the books you like whenever you get the chance. Reading is good for the brain! Believe it or not it can help your brain work quicker, making it easier to solve problems etc. It gives your brain a work out by letting it get creative and imagining the things you read. So if you're not really into reading just pick up a genre or topic you really like and read a little bit every night. Who knows it may catch on. And if not at least it may help you to fall asleep easier.

8) Get regular amounts of sleep

Let's face it in college there isn't much sleep between all nighters to finish papers and partying. And when there is sleep it is usually at sporadic times; between classes etc. Get yourself into a regular sleep patten. It's not healthy to be sleep deprived. It takes a serious toll on your body after a while and limits you from working at your full capacity. Once you get into a pattern it's easy to stay with it.

9) Watch and read more news

I hardly ever watched or read anything about the news in school or even before that. I always thought it was too depressing, what with all the horrible and scary things going on in the world. But it's very important for everyone to know what's going on in the world around us. It was the recent economic crisis and all of the important things that have been happening recently that have really shown me that. Knowledge is power! So if you get a chance read or watch the news when ever you get a chance. It will give you something to think and talk about. Which brings me to my last resolution...

10) Express yourself!

You are now a highly educated citizen of the world. During this new year go out and express yourself. Work to make the world a better place, one year at a time.